The present invention is related to a verification method for the verification of a Connection Request from a roaming mobile entity requesting connection to a Mobile Network, as well as a respective computer program product and a mobile communication network.
It is generally known that mobile entities can travel to different countries. Up after leaving the home network, the mobile entity is a so called roaming mobile entity which has to connect to foreign networks for example roaming networks. In such a situation it has to be assured, that the roaming mobile entity is only allowed to connect to the Mobile Network, if a respective roaming agreement is in place. Such a roaming agreement is for example negotiated between two different network companies, namely the foreign network company and the home network company of the user of the roaming mobile entity.
To ensure that roaming mobile entities are only able to enter a roaming Mobile Network in the case that an agreement between the respective two network companies is in place, commonly known methods carried out a respective check at a so called local Mobile Management Entity (MME). Throughout national Mobile Network, a huge number of Mobile Management Entities is in place to carry out different management functionalities for the Mobile Network. In that local Mobile Management Entities also the approval of the reconnection request of the Roaming Mobile Entity is carried out.
Aforesaid commonly known method for carrying out the verification of the Connection Request has a lot of disadvantages. In particular, it has to be assured that all Mobile Management Entities are able to have the latest information as to agreement situations between multiple network companies. In particular, each Mobile Management Entity has to have a list with all the latest information about agreements between the respective national network and all possible foreign networks which are home networks for the Mobile Entity. A further disadvantage is the high complexity of the testing environment for such a situation. To carry out the testing environment in particular a lot of Mobile Management Entities have to be set up with the respective testing environment. After the test has been carried out in detail, the test environment has to be shifted to the full functionality under working conditions. This test has to be carried out for each new agreement which has been pushed into place by each two different network companies.